SMALL BUT CONSISTENT = FUN, SUN 18SEPT2011 MOR

Crew: Rick, Manny, Christina, Cheryl, Klaude
Time: 0800-0930, 1 hr. & 30 min.
Conditions: 2 feet, occasional 3, consistent, overcast then sunny, low to medium tide, cool, faint onshore wind.


    After Cosmic John’s bodywork, I slept like a baby last night. So much to the point that getting out of bed requires an hour’s worth of hitting the snooze button before I force myself up. Rick and Christina tex’d me an hour earlier, so now I’m behind the power curve. The guilt starts to build. I imagine Rick and all my buddies in the water, probably surfing for the past hour while I lie in my cozy bed smothered and warm. A quick brush of the teeth, refill of my hot water bottle, gathering of my gear, a kiss for Lauren, and I’m off.

    Driving up Grand Ave. I see a guy riding a bicycle with his surf board attached to it. It looks like Whiffle Boy. I want to honk and stop, but I don’t want to look like an idiot if it’s not him. Cars with surfboards strapped to the roof pass me in the opposite direction. This is not a good sign. The ocean from Vista Del Mar looks scant. The waves look small, dribbly, and weak, but I push-on to hope for the best. I see Rick’s truck parked on the street, and as I make my way to 26th I see Klaude walking out to the sand. I’m not the only one that was burnt out from yesterday. In the lot, Christina is zipping up her wetsuit. I park, change, wax my stick, and head out to the sand. Rick’s easy to spot a mile away because of his surfing style and bald head. Basically, the older, bald guy ripping on the gray fish is always Rick. I see Klaude next to him, but I can’t find Francis who said he’d be here early. It’s by no means a big day. The tide’s a little low, and guys are still standing up half way to the line up. But still, there are little peaks consistently making their way in. Not all of them hold shape. Some rides are short, but some waves actually go for some distance. I paddle out, saw what’s up to Rick, Manny, and Klaude. The lineup’s not completely packed, but there are enough heads that being aware is important. No wave goes unridden, and I back out on a couple waves to prevent snaking. Manny drops in on some guy on accident, Klaude drops in on me once or twice, and Christina is going on everything no matter who is on it! Two tiny groms, probably in elementary school, are long boarding. Within two strokes they’re in. One even calls Christina off on his wave and says, “I got it!” I think Christina is a little perturbed at this, but I think it was rightfully the kid’s wave. Rick and Manny leave minutes before Cheryl arrives.

    Some other high school kids are just ripping it right next to us. We get the backstage view of floaters and snaps. Every time I see this, I can only lament that I’m still not that good yet, even after my efforts to surf and my trip to Bali. Time, consistency, and patience. I need to get us to spots where we can have waves to ourselves so we can improve faster.

    Despite the rising tide, there’s a window where the surf gets really consistent. Sure, it’s not big, but even three footers begin to break towards the outside. I manage to get a good right, but I must still be rusty because I keep purling after my top turn. Klaude gets a nice wave, but after I duckdive out of his way I hear him yell in agony. I turn around to see if he’s okay, but I learn that he’s just pissed because his foot slipped off and he blew the wave.

    Cheryl gets a good amount of rides during her short session. The tear in her wetsuit is getting bigger, for every time she pops up you can see the crotch part of her bikini. It draws attention in a funny way. She locked her keys in her car, so she was stuck in the lot for 40 minutes waiting for AAA before she paddled out. Christina, when not awkwardly falling, makes the most of the crumbly waves and takes them all the way to shore. I’d like to stay, but I got an assload of homework.

    Back at the car, I get a text from Francis asking how the surf was. It turns out that he woke up late. Klaude and I meet him at Rutt’s Hawaiian Restaurant in Culver City for a local style breakfast.

Corned beef portions were a little small, as well as the scoops of rice. Not enough for $7.95, but it was sooo good because I was sooo hungry!

    The surf was small but consistent. It made me realize that whenever we make the decision to surf, most of the time we know when if it’s flat or dismal. But we still go because our friends are there, and we don’t want to miss out on good laughs with familiar faces. I’m also realizing how much I see my surfing family more than my close friends that I’ve known since my childhood. It doesn’t only bring us to the water, but it brings people together too, something not every hobby can attest to.

The King's Hawaiian French toast. Uber yum status.